Legislative Alert 2/3/20

To voice support or opposition for a bill, contact committee members as well as your own representatives. URL to committee contact information can be found with each bill below as well as at www.leg.colorado.gov.

OPPOSE HB20-1162 Prohibit food establishments use of Polystyrene

Effective January 1, 2022, the bill prohibits a retail food establishment from distributing an expanded polystyrene product for use as a container for ready-to-eat food in this state. The executive director of the department of public health and environment or the executive director’s designee may, through the attorney general, seek injunctive relief against a retail food establishment that violates the prohibition.

Energy & Environment committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/energy-environment/2020-regular-session

OPPOSE HB20-1163 Management Of Single-use Products

The bill prohibits stores and retail food establishments, on and after July 1, 2021, from providing single-use plastic carryout bags, single-use plastic stirrers, single-use plastic straws, and expanded polystyrene food service products (collectively “single-use products”) to customers at the point of sale. The executive director of the department of public health and environment is authorized to enforce the prohibition. The prohibition does not apply to inventory purchased before July 1, 2021, and used on or before December 31, 2021. A store or retail food establishment, on or after July 1, 2021, may furnish recyclable paper carryout bags to a customer at a charge of at least 10 cents per customer, which amount the store or establishment may retain in full, unless a local government’s ordinance or resolution prohibits the store or establishment from retaining the full charge. A local government, on or after July 1, 2021, is preempted from enacting an ordinance, resolution, rule, or charter provision that is less stringent than the statewide prohibition.

House Energy & Environment committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/energy-environment/2020-regular-session Upcoming action: Committee hearing MONDAY FEB 24, 1:30pm, House Comm Room 107 *hearing is for both HB20-1162 + 1163

OPPOSE SB20-109 Short-term Rentals Property Tax

For purposes of the property tax, the bill classifies an improvement that is used to provide short-term stays, which is overnight lodging for less than 30 consecutive days in exchange for a monetary payment. A building or a portion of a building that is designed and used as a residency by a person, a family, or families and that is leased or available to be leased for short-term stays is a residential improvement and, therefore, it is classified as residential property. A short-term rental unit is excluded from the definition of residential improvements and, therefore, it is classified as nonresidential property. A short-term rental unit is defined to mean a building or a portion of a building that is designed for use predominantly as a place of residency by a person, a family, or families, but that is leased or available to be leased for short-term stays during the property tax year and is occupied by the owner for less than 30 days in a year.

Senate Finance committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/finance/2020-regular-session Upcoming Action: Committee hearing TUESDAY FEB 11, 2:00pm, Senate Comm Room 357

OPPOSE HB20-1121 Retaliation Against An Elected Official

Under current law, there is a crime of retaliation against a judge if an individual makes a credible threat or commits an act of harassment or an act of harm or injury upon a person or property as retaliation or retribution against a judge. The crime is a class 4 felony. The bill adds elected officials and their families to the crime. This sponsors of this bill pulled it citing First Amendment concerns but they made it clear it will be revised and come back if not this session, next session.

OPPOSE SB20-065 Limit Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving

The bill limits the use of a mobile electronic device while driving to adult drivers who use the mobile electronic device through a hands-free accessory. The bill establishes penalties of $50 and 2 points for a first violation, $100 and 2 points for a second violation, $200 and 4 points for a third or subsequent violation, and $300 and 4 points if the violation involves text messaging.

Senate Transportation & Energy committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/transportation-energy/2020-regular-session Upcoming Action: Committee hearing TUESDAY FEB 11, 2:00pm, Senate Comm Room 352

OPPOSE HB20-1152 Penalty For Weapons Possession Offenses

The bill requires a court to sentence an adult or a juvenile who is convicted as an adult who commits the felony offenses of possession of a weapon by a previous offender or unlawfully carrying a weapon on school grounds to the department of corrections for a term of incarceration. The bill clarifies that a sentence for a second or subsequent offense for possession of a weapon by a previous offender, when the weapon involved is a dangerous weapon or when the prior conviction or adjudication was for burglary, arson, or any felony involving the use of force or the use of a deadly weapon, runs consecutively with any prior sentences being served by the offender.

House Judiciary committee, no hearing scheduled yet

OPPOSE HB20-1001 Nicotine Product Regulation

Sections 1 through 8 of the bill raise the minimum age of a person to whom cigarettes, tobacco products, and nicotine products (products) may be sold from 18 years of age to 21 years of age. Under current law, if a minor purchases or attempts to purchase any one of the products, the minor may be convicted of a class 2 petty offense subject to a $100 fine. In addition to raising the minimum age from 18 years of age to 21 years of age, section 1 also repeals the criminal penalty for purchasing or attempting to purchase the products as a minor.

Section 7 also prohibits a retailer from permitting a person under 18 years of age to sell or participate in the sale of products.

Section 8 also increases the minimum number of compliance checks required of each retail location at which the products are sold to 2 per year or at least the minimum number annually required by federal regulation, whichever number is greater.

Section 9 requires every retailer of the products in the state, on and after July 1, 2021, to be licensed. The liquor enforcement division (division) of the department of revenue is charged with licensing retailers and coordinating with local authorities on retail location compliance checks and investigations of complaints about retailers.

Section 10 prohibits: New retail locations at which products are sold from being located within 500 feet of a school; retail locations that sell electronic smoking device products from advertising those products in a manner that is visible from outside the retail location; and delivery of products directly to consumers.

Section 11 governs enforcement of the licensing requirements.

Section 12 adjusts the fine amounts for violating the prohibition against selling products to minors from a maximum fine for a fifth or subsequent violation within 24 months of $1,000 to $15,000 to a maximum fine for a fourth or subsequent violation in 36 months of $1,000 to $15,000. Additionally, the division must prohibit a retailer who commits a second or subsequent violation within 36 months from selling products at the retail location where the violation occurred for a specified period of time, starting with at least 7 days for a second violation within 36 months, to at least 30 days for a third violation within 36 months, and finally for up to 3 years for a fourth or subsequent violation within 36 months. Additionally, section 12 establishes fines for selling or offering to sell products without a valid state license on or after July 1, 2021, with the amount of fines ranging from $1,000 for a first violation to $3,000 for a third or subsequent violation. If a person sells or offers to sell products without a valid state license at least 3 times in a 36-month period, the person is not eligible to apply for a state license for 3 years thereafter. Section 12 also adjusts the period within which a subsequent violation of the prohibition against selling products from a vending machine or the requirement to display a warning at the retail location is subject to an increased fee from 24 months to 36 months. Further, section 12 also applies the same fine structure as exists for selling products from a vending machine or failing to display the requisite warning to a violation of the prohibition against allowing a person under 18 years of age to sell or participate in the sale of products.

Sections 13 through 17 make conforming amendments.

House Health & Insurance committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/health-insurance/2020-regular-session Upcoming Action: Committee hearing WEDNESDAY, FEB 12, 1:30pm, House Comm Room 112

SUPPORT HB20-1080 Remove Residency Requirement For Marijuana License

Under current law all managers and employees of a medical marijuana business or a retail marijuana business with day-to-day operational control must be Colorado residents when they apply for licensure. The bill repeals this residency requirement.

House Business Affairs & Labor committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/business-affairs-labor/2020-regular-session Upcoming Action: Committee hearing TUESDAY FEB 4, 1:30pm, upon adjournment LSB Rm A (approx. 10am – could be later, depends on when floor work adjourns)

SUPPORT SB20-100 Repeal The Death Penalty

The bill repeals the death penalty in Colorado for offenses charged on or after July 1, 2020, and makes conforming amendments.

House Judiciary committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/judiciary/2020-regular-session-0 Upcoming Action: Passed senate, not yet scheduled for committee hearing in House Judiciary Committee

SUPPORT HB20-1063 Fundamental Family Rights In Colorado

The bill defines parental rights as the right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of a parent’s child and establishes parental rights as a fundamental right in Colorado that is subject to strict scrutiny.

State, Military & Veterans Affairs committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/state-veterans-military-affairs/2020-regular-session-0

SUPPORT HB20-1144 Parent’s Bill Of Rights

The bill establishes a parent’s bill of rights that sets forth specific parental rights related to directing the upbringing, education, and health care of a minor child.

State, Military & Veterans Affairs committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/state-veterans-military-affairs/2020-regular-session-0

SUPPORT HB20-1033 Live And Let Live Act

The bill establishes the “Live and Let Live Act” in Colorado.

House State, Military & Veterans Affairs committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/state-veterans-military-affairs/2020-regular-session-0 Upcoming Action: Committee hearing THURSDAY FEB 13, 1:30pm, LSB Room A *hearing is for HB20-1063 + 1044 + 1033

SUPPORT HB20-1147 Reasonable Independence For Children In Activities

Under current law, a child is neglected or dependent if the child’s environment is injurious to the child’s welfare. The bill clarifies that the child’s environment is injurious to the child’s welfare because the child’s parent has placed the child in or failed to remove the child from a situation that a reasonable person would realize requires judgment or actions beyond the child’s level of maturity, physical condition, or mental ability and that results in bodily injury or a substantial risk of immediate and grave harm as a result of a blatant disregard of parent or caretaker responsibilities. A child is not neglected or dependent if a child who is of sufficient maturity, physical condition, and mental ability is left by the child’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian, under conditions that are reasonably deemed safe and secure sufficient to avoid substantial risk of physical harm, to engage in independent activities specified in the bill. The bill amends the criminal code to reflect that a person does not commit child abuse if the person is exercising reasonable judgment in allowing a child to engage in independent activities as described in language added to the dependency or neglect statute in the bill.

House Judiciary committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/judiciary/2020-regular-session-0 Upcoming action: Committee hearing THURSDAY FEB 6, 1:30pm, House Comm Room 112

SUPPORT HB20-1029 Allow County Officers To Accept Lower Salary

The annual salary of an elected county officer (officer) is currently specified in statute. The bill expressly allows an officer to make an election to receive less than the amount specified in law. The officer may subsequently elect to increase or decrease his or her salary annually as long as it does not exceed the amount allowed in statute.

House Transportation & Local Government committee: https://leg.colorado.gov/committees/transportation-local-government/2020-regular-session Upcoming Action: Committee hearing FEBRUARY 4, upon adjournment, House Comm Room 0107 (approx. 10am – could be later, depends on when floor work adjourns

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